All Retail, Outdoor Dining Allowed In New Alameda County Order
ALAMEDA COUNTY, CA — Alameda County will significantly loosen coronavirus restrictions next Friday, June 19, the health department announced Friday. All retail will be allowed, along with outdoor restaurant dining, religious services, outdoor museums, and outdoor fitness classes.
“The indicators we monitor to determine if we should continue moving forward through reopening are stable or improving,” said Dr. Erica Pan, Health Officer for Alameda County. “We will continue to have more cases, but the steady increase in hospitalizations and the steep increase in the case rate we were seeing in late May has slowed and the hospitalizations have stabilized. We are also making significant progress in expanding and improving the efficiency of our contact tracing teams.”
In alignment with the state’s guidance, indoor and outdoor retail and outdoor dining will be allowed at reduced capacity to ensure physical distancing and safety plans are in place. Residents and businesses are still strongly recommended to continue focusing primarily on pick-up and delivery options to limit lines and crowds.
Similarly, based on state guidance, limited religious services will be permitted to resume for up to 100 people or less than 25 percent building capacity, whichever is lower.
Faith partners are strongly recommended to continue virtual services, especially for their high-risk congregants, and to limit attendance to 25 people and provide services outdoors.
“I’m glad to see that we can take this step forward as a county,” said District 1 Supervisor Scott Haggerty. “It’s important to have parity across our small and large businesses, as well as across the region. The health of Alameda County residents is paramount and I’m confident that our restaurants, retailers and faith communities will prioritize the safety of their staff, customers, and community.”
>>Related: Reopen Alameda County, Supervisor Haggerty Says
The Health Department reminds all residents planning to participate in the newly authorized activities that we are still in the first wave of the pandemic. The virus that causes COVID-19 is highly infectious and it is critical that we take precautions to protect people who are at high risk for health complications or working in settings that expose them to more people.
“We’re balancing the economic and spiritual health of our community with public health,” said District 4 Supervisor Nate Miley. “These openings, including the services industries, may disproportionately affect our already burdened communities of color, and we will need to be mindful of protecting everyone’s health while we’re out and about.”
Business requirements
All businesses allowed to operate under the Health Officer Orders must complete the Site-Specific Protection Plan template and implement risk assessment and individual control measures, physical distancing, disinfecting and cleaning protocols, and employee training to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Additional local guidance to supplement that state guidance will be available early next week at and restaurants will be expected to work with the Alameda County Department of Environmental Health and their respective cities on their outdoor operation plans.
Employers are advised to implement COVID-19 health screenings before staff enter a facility to start their workday and employees must complete a self-assessment to ensure they do not go to work sick or during their infectious period after being exposed to or diagnosed with COVID-19.
Employers have an important role in slowing the spread of COVID-19 and should support their employees in staying home if sick, and should not require a negative test result or doctor’s note to return to work if ordered to isolate or quarantine under the County’s blanket Isolation/Quarantine order.
The Health Department reminds all residents planning to participate in the newly authorized activities that we are still in the first wave of the pandemic. The virus that causes COVID-19 is highly infectious and it is critical that we take precautions to protect people who are at high risk for health complications or working in settings that expose them to more people. “Next week’s action to allow additional activities outside of the home relies heavily on all of us continuing the consistent use of face coverings, maintaining physical distancing, and practicing good hand hygiene,” said Colleen Chawla, Alameda County Health Care Services Agency Director. “These measures ensure that we are not only protecting ourselves and our families, but also the frontline workers in the businesses we will enjoy.”
Alameda County joins Contra Costa County in loosening restrictions. Outdoor seating at restaurants, outdoor swimming pools, religious services, use of outdoor picnic and barbecue spaces, overnight camping for people belonging to the same household, and dog parks all reopened on June 5.
Other nearby counties also loosened restrictions ahead of Alameda County, which has the highest number of diagnosed cases in the Bay Area.
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This article originally appeared on the Fremont Patch
